hi
ok i have athearns rtr dash9 and when driving forward it runs smooth and fine but when reversing it make buzzing sound and it vibratedwhen moving. has anyone has this issue befor?
ah ok. i even try with differnt decoder from dh123d to sdh164ds. yet on my other athearn rtr dash9 witch has sdh164d decoder and it run smooth in both forward and reverse. maybe it year or somthing. anyway i was looking around and i going to try little bit of lub to see if that it.
David is right. Before you start swapping decoders try tuning up your loco. Here is one routine that is rather complete and should help to get things running smoother: http://www.mcor-nmra.org/Publications/Articles/Athearn_TuneUp.html. Also look to make sure that the motor is mounted solidly.If it is a little off it can cause a lot of problems.
Joe
Not everything can be repaired by pushing buttons.
Take the body off. Run it forward / reverse and observe the loco.
What end is making the noise? Can you see anything rubbing? How are the universals turning when going in reverse as compared to going forward?
The tune up is a great idea. Those 6 axle Athearns can be noisy.
Jim
cool thanks for info. i have another athearn engine it an ac4400cw but wire on the decoder harness on board broke so i think i either replace motor on dash9 or swap dcc board and shell on ac4400cw with dash9. seem easy as long as i got wiring right and stuff.
Just a couple of questions. I always take the entire loco apart and clean the gears and the posts the gears fit over, the worm gear and bearings get oiled, the commutator gets cleaned and then the decoder gets installed. Question 1, is the drive line supposed to be perfectly straight, because usually there is a slight bend in the U joint? Question 2, shound the motor wobble at all after reinstalling it or should I replace the mounts. Often times the old mounts allow a little play / rocking when I push it. I've thought of taking them out and adhering the motor to the frame using silicone caulk or getting the new pad and screw mounts.
Most locos are fine, but I do have a few 'buggers'. Thanks for your advice.
Len S
LenS Question 1, is the drive line supposed to be perfectly straight, because usually there is a slight bend in the U joint?
Ideally, you want the drive line to be as straight as possible. This minimizes vibrations and noise.
LenSQuestion 2, shound the motor wobble at all after reinstalling it or should I replace the mounts. Often times the old mounts allow a little play / rocking when I push it. I've thought of taking them out and adhering the motor to the frame using silicone caulk or getting the new pad and screw mounts.
If the motor moves while under power, then yes I would firm up the mounting system. If it moves because you are pushing it and stays put during operation I would leave it alone.
Thanks for that info.